Natural Reality - Arc 1: Beginnings
by SuiFireheart
Summary: Yugi and Yami look back over the time from the Ceremonial Dual leading up to their present day. The darkness threatens to overrun them and Yami discovers many secrets Yugi has hidden from him that are eating away at his hikari. One more secret takes Yami by surprise…
1. Chapter 1

Crimson eyes opened up only to quickly close once again, shutting out the morning sunlight. The usual warmth that he had become accustomed to was missing.

 _Aibou?_ He called through his link to his other half. Faintly, he could hear the shower running. Getting up, he walked to the bathroom and peeked in.

He watched the small teen through the frosted glass. His hair, which normally defied gravity, was now cascading as a black waterfall past his shoulders. He held his hands up to his collarbone, eyes closed, as if in praise to the water tumbling down his small frame.

 _Hmm?_ A young voice responded to his call, unaware that the older now was watching him. _What is it Yami?_ He could feel contentment through their bond. But something felt off. Something that Yami couldn't put his finger on.

 _I woke up without you there._ He replied, knowing his voice contained the same tone as their conversation the previous night. _I was afraid you would reject me again this morning._ He could hear him audibly sigh. _We were apart for too long, little one._

 **FLASHBACK**

He pushed his hikari down onto the bed. He needed him to listen. Being like this had pushed him past his breaking point.

 _Yami._

He could feel his little hikari's body trembling under his own despite his mental voice sounding strong. He pulled his hikari's hands from where they pushed against his chest and held them by the wrists against the bed on either side of his hikari's shoulders.

 _Yami..._

His hikari was starting to sound angry but the emotions relayed pain and fear. He brought his lips down, kissing him forcefully.

 _I can't keep waiting for you to tell me what is wrong._

 _Can you control yourself if I tell you?_ His hikari challenged. _I can't root out the traitors in our precinct if you can't._

He broke the kiss and looked down at his little hikari confused. "Explain."

"Only if you let go," His audible voice was also challenging. Yami released his hold on his hikari's wrists and propped himself up with his arms instead. "Not going to get off me?" Yami shook his head. He was willing to let go of him partially.

His hikari gave an exasperated sigh. "There is a traitor in the school who is preying on the weak. To get them all, I have been..." Yami didn't like that pause. Usually that meant his little one was trying to make the situation sound less than it was. "Monitoring the situation personally."

 **END FLASHBACK**

 _No Yami..._ He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. _You showed me last night that leaving you too long makes you difficult._ His amethyst eyes glared at his morning audience before firmly shutting the bathroom door.

 _I had no choice Yugi._ Yami replied with a hurt tone. _I could feel you hurting. I'm sure that was only the tip of what you are holding back. Someone or something was hurting my hikari and I needed to know what._

 _I can handle things on my own Yami._ He sounded annoyed. _Remember that you and I rule Domino City, my darkness. You manage the mirror city in the Shadow Realm where the beasts dwell and I manage the humans in this realm._

 _I know Aibou..._ He sounded almost stubborn to Yugi. _Please make sure you call me if you get hurt._

 _I will, my love._ Yugi could feel the relief through their link. _That I can promise you._

Yugi sat with his friends at lunch. His role as ruler of Domino City was hidden even from them and that is exactly how he liked it.

"What cha thinking Yug'?" The blond Yugi fondly knew as Joey asked. "You seem out of it today."

"I bet I know what it is," The girl named Tea teased. "Yami is behind that faraway look." Yugi blushed in spite of himself. "I knew it!"

"Another argument?" The last young man of their group named Tristan asked. "You two seem to be doing that a lot lately."

"Overprotective," Yugi murmured. His friends looked at each other for a moment and then burst into fits of laughter. Yugi looked startled. "What?"

"He has always been that way ever since Dualist Kingdom," Tea said wiping away tears. "He can't help it. He is literally your other half." Yugi blushed but didn't care to respond to it knowing they would laugh further.

School went quickly after this. It wasn't until the bell rang that Yugi began to tense. He knew his duties were now to begin.

"Are you ready, sacrifice?" A voice hissed in his ear. "Tonight is the night. Come alone or I will find another helpless soul to use."

Yugi mentally rolled his eyes. 'I'm anything but helpless, shadow cursed.' He reached out along his link.

 _Yami?_

 _What is it, Aibou?_

 _Can you come to school? I'll need your assistance. But follow what I say or we won't get them all._

 _I'm coming._

Yami watched from a distance at the request of Yugi. His anger spiking frequently as he watched. It took Yugi's constant reminder and reassurance to keep him at bay.

Yugi yelped as he was thrown into the small stone amphitheatre the school used for clubs and performances. He came to a stop against a stone table which Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs engraved around the sides.

Yami recognized it as a sacrificial altar used before his time to sacrifice slaves to Ra so he would bring forth the sun. 'What do they plan to call forth with that.' Yugi's scream brought him out of his curiosity.

 _Aibou!_

 _Wait Yami._ Yugi's voice was strained. The pain of being beaten reverberated through their link. _They aren't all here. I don't want the humans to be affected by these shadow cursed._

 _Shadow cursed..._ Yami suddenly realized the importance of getting them all. Shadow cursed humans spread from contact with a delinquent monster from the Shadow Realm or from another yami causing trouble in their borders. _I think Bakura is causing trouble again for us._

He felt Yugi nod mentally. _Ryou warned me his yami was up to something. He didn't want me to tell you yet._

 _Yugi..._

 _Then the shadow cursed appeared. They threatened the lives of those who are like I was. I pretended to be the same and they said I was the perfect sacrifice. I've been beaten almost daily in their attempt to make me submissive._

 _Yugi! Why?_

 _I needed to get them all to prevent further infection to susceptible humans._ Yami felt his voice waver in pain as they pulled him taut over the table. _We need to get them all, my love._

Yugi sensed the darkness becoming whole around him. The last piece made his entrance with an ornate ivory blade.

 _They are all here now._ Yugi felt pain from the link. _Yami?_

"Look who we found," Two of the humans dragged Yami into amphitheatre and threw him against the table. "It looks like we have a hikari sacrifice."

"Yami!" Yugi cried, now very fearful of their situation. "Yami!"

 _My sweet hikari._ Yami's voice was strong in his mind. _Pretend to be afraid for me. I allowed this to happen._ He felt pain, fresh and sharp, flowed through their link.

Yugi screamed as the blade followed the length of his forearm. His blood spilled over the edge of the table, some dripping onto Yami's head. _Yami! I can't pretend anymore._ He could feel Yami's power enveloping the arena and sealing everyone within. _Yami!_

 _Aibou..._ Yami stood slowly. The eye of the Sennen Puzzle glowed bright on his forehead. "You creatures of the lowest order, how dare you harm my hikari." His shadows sliced through the air, dragging the shadow cursed souls into the Shadow Realm.

The shadow cursed screamed and ran. Their hands pounding on Yami's barrier before being dragged away. Only one didn't move...

Yugi's scream drew Yami's attention behind him to the albino that was now perched on the table. His blade gently attempting to widen the cuts.

"Bakura," Yami hissed. "You knew all along that my hikari was your sacrifice." He threw the yami back with his shadows. "You purposefully used your hikari to lure my hikari here."

"You did the same to me first," spat Bakura as he picked himself up off the floor. "There were shadow cursed in our precinct who injured Ryou. They claimed to be sent by you."

"Yami didn't do that." Yugi whispered faintly. He felt betrayed by Ryou. "Ryou and I are friends. I wouldn't agree to such a thing to happen. Yami wouldn't hurt me intentionally."

Bakura stared at the little hikari. It wasn't in their nature to lie outright. They were Masters of the Truth. What is said by a hikari might not always be what you think you heard.

But there was no mistaking what the little hikari had said. It gave him pause. Who then lured his hikari into so much pain that he still was feeling the reverberations through their link whenever his hikari dreamed or remembered.

Yami watched Bakura thoughtfully. Someone or something hurt his hikari and blamed it on a yami he knew. Perhaps there was a bigger plot unfolding than he first thought.

"Bakura," Yami said releasing his shadows. "Perhaps a meeting of yami's is needed." He used the last of his shadows to slice through the ropes that held Yugi, painfully aware his hikari needed medical attention.

"At my palace," Bakura semi-offered. "We need to get to the bottom of this." He watched Yami pick Yugi up. "Once your hikari has been tended to."

"Tomorrow night," Yami said grateful that Yugi was unconscious. "With or without our hikari's?"

"With," Bakura replied. "We won't believe each other otherwise."

Yami nodded and left Bakura alone to his thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

Yugi awoke to Yami sleeping on top of him. Heavy white bandages encased his forearms up to his elbows. He tried to wriggle out but found, quite quickly, that Yami had other ideas.

The dark spirit curled his right arm tightly around his waist. His left hand followed the contours of Yugi's arm to rest and wrap securely around his right wrist where it rested over Yugi's head.

He smiled and remembered back to the day of the ceremonial dual and the series of events that happened after that.

 **FLASHBACK**

Before the door to the spirit realm closed, a gust of wind pulled him through. He felt like he was tumbling downwards until he landed onto something soft and warm.

"I guess Malik forgot to mention this bit," The deep voice that emanated from somewhere beneath him said. "You're not hurt are you Aibou?"

"I'm not," Yugi murmured sliding off Atemu's back. "Where are we?" He looked around at the cloudy expanse and then down at Atemu.

"I'm not sure Aibou," Atemu made a move to stand up but a something pushed him back down. "What!"

"Thank you for returning my name to the afterlife," Atemu felt like something was being ripped out of his heart. "That was your final task on my behalf. You will now be known by your other name, Yami." Warmth flooded his entire being. "Your journey is not yet done."

"What do you mean 'your journey is not yet done'?" Yami asked sitting up. "And why is Yugi dragged into this?" He could feel the young dualist staring at him.

"Yugi," A bronze skin version of Yami appeared before him, he gently cupped the Yugi's face. "The reincarnation of my beloved Heba. You know in your heart what you desire and you were pulled through to fulfil that desire." He smiled and pulled away to look at both of them. "I will return soon."

"Yugi..." Yami said with a sly smile. "What did Atemu mean when he said about 'your heart's desire'?" He watched Yugi's back stiffen. "And about 'fulfilling that desire'?"

"Uh... Well... You see," Yugi blushed a bright crimson. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Amethyst eyes opened and gazed into ruby eyes. "I love you, Yami. Ever since Dualist Kingdom and more so with every day after."

There was a silence growing between the two. Yugi held his gaze with Yami, tears threatening to form the longer the silence went. Yami moved forwards to envelope the young dualist in his arms.

"And I love you too, Yugi." Yami whispered in his ear. "You cannot imagine how happy I am to hear you say that to me."

Leaning forward, Yugi gave Yami a small kiss. He jumped when Yami pressed hard against him. It wasn't until Yami knocked him over that he felt the strong gust of wind and a deep disembodied laugh.

"Just like Heba and myself," Atemu reappeared and gestured to an open door behind Yami. "If you will follow me."

 **END FLASHBACK**

Yugi sighed and poked Yami in the side. His yami groaned and slid slightly. Getting an idea, Yugi poked him repeatedly until Yami had slid off him completely.

He got up and made his way to the kitchen. Pouring himself an orange juice, he sat in the lounge on the couch near the window. The sky was still dark but an orange glow began to peek through between the buildings in the distance.

He was enjoying his quiet moment until a familiar feeling began to creep up on him. Without so much as a blink, he sent his fiery light around the house to raise a shield.

 _Yami!_ Yugi screamed through their link. _Shadow cursed!_ He put the glass on the window sill and raised his hands palm out to focus his energy into the shield.

Yami, who was still asleep at the time of Yugi's scream, rolled off the bed and land with shock on the floor. The mauve light from his hikari's shield filtered through the skylight of their bedroom.

 _Aibou._ Yami called as he pulled on a pair of pants and raced downstairs. _How many?_

"Many!" cried Yugi. His small frame looking slightly larger with his pale amethyst glow illuminating the lounge. "They keep touching my shield! There's more than I can manage on my own."

Yami pulled Yugi off the couch and held him tight against his chest. He waited until Yugi was standing stably before extending his right hand so it grasped Yugi's right wrist.

Immediately, the shield changed from the mauve to a marble of red and purple. Yami could feel the amount of shadow cursed trying to break down the shield. His anger flowed through the link to Yugi.

"I don't know if we can last this time," Yugi murmured. He could feel his magic draining fast even with Yami's assistance. "I'm not yet healed from the other night."

"What were you doing down here anyway?" Yami asked before noticing the glass on the window sill. "I didn't notice you get up."

"You were dead to the world when I got up," Yugi teased. "I was wondering if I was going to need a horn or some sort of explosion to wake you up."

"Your voice is all I need," Yami purred in his ear. "Hikari, we need to cleanse the area."


	3. Chapter 3

Tea, Joey, and Tristan stared at what was once the game shop. Fire crews picked through the rubble pulling out the debris in their search for survivors.

"Umm... excuse me," Tea asked one of the firemen. "What happened here?"

"You live here?"

"A friend of mine does," She could see him start to give her his full attention. "We usually drop by to pick him up on the way to school."

"There was an explosion just past five this morning," The fireman said quickly. "It took us a while to put out the electrical fire." He looked at the rubble and then back at Tea. "How many were living here?"

"My friend and his partner." Tea replied trying to contain her emotions. "His grandfather is staying in America with a friend."

"We found a body!" Someone deep in the debris yelled. "Correction, Two!

The three waited anxiously until the first was extracted from the rubble. Yami looked bad and it was clear he was struggling to breathe. Yugi looked worse. The heavy white bandages were torn revealing the cuts on his arms which were bleeding freely. But unlike Yami, Yugi appeared lifeless. Only the tiniest movement of his chest told otherwise.

"We'll get to school and let the teachers know," Joey whispered in Tea's ear. His face was pale but relieved that they were alive. "You know more about Yugi than we do. Help the doctors out and make sure they live!"

Tea could only nod in reply, her eyes fixed on their unconscious bodies. She followed the paramedic into the back of the ambulance with Yugi in it and quickly relayed all she knew about Yugi's medical history.

"Do you know anything about the other young man?"

 _Other than that he is a 5000 year old pharaohs and Yugi's lover?_ she asked sarcastically before saying "No. Yugi knows everything about Yami. I haven't known him as long as I have known Yugi." She shook her head when asked about the other teen's family. "Yugi said he had no family living."

"How are they doing?" Joey asked Tea in the waiting room after school let out.

"Yugi is the worst hurt." Tea replied quietly. "They think he protected Yami from the explosion. They are suspicious about the long cuts along his forearms. They said they look self-inflicted." Tea gave Joey a half smile. "Yami woke up a little while ago. They took him for tests." She chuckled before adding "He refused to go anywhere without seeing Yugi first."

"Has he said what happened?" Tristan asked

"He said he was having a moment with Yugi and next thing he knew there was a lot of pain and then nothing." Tea replied. "They asked him about Yugi's cuts and he said that Yugi did attempt but he was trying to find out when it happened."

"Yug attempted suicide?" Joey's eyes looked curiously guarded. "He promised..." Shaking his head, he added "He has tried before when he was being bullied."

"Perhaps we should ask Yami about it when he returns," Tea said softly looking down at her watch. "I better go. I have dance class soon." She tapped Joey's shoulder before dragging Tristan, who started protesting before seeing her pointed look, with her. "Your turn."

It wasn't long until Yami returned to find Joey waiting for him. "I know what you are going to ask…" He waited until the nurse left and closed the door behind her before continuing on. "Yugi hasn't broken his promise to you. I just couldn't tell them the truth of what happened."

"So what did happen then?" Joey asked taking a seat at Yami's side. "Those cuts look too straight for an accident."

"Do you remember back to the ceremonial dual and how Yugi was pulled in after I went through?" Joey nodded and indicated for Yami to continue. "Well…"

 **FLASHBACK**

"Just like Heba and myself," Atemu reappeared and gestured to an open door behind Yami. "If you will follow me."

Yami helped Yugi up and they followed Atemu through the door to a room that was perfectly half dark and half-light. They stared around the room in amazement. On the light side stood the Creator of Light, Horakhty, while on the dark side Zorc the Dark One stood. Both stood watching the three, and waited.

"Before the dawn of time, the World of the Beasts has existed side by side with the human world," Atemu said softly. "I'm sure Mana told you this already."

"She did," Yugi replied sensing Yami was unable to speak from shock. "But that doesn't explain now."

"Over time, the creators of light and dark discovered that they needed those who embody those powers to administer and protect the two worlds," Atemu raised a hand to his heart and smiled. "While I was ruling in Egypt, Heba and I was one such pair." He waved his hand and a series of memories played where Atemu and Heba fought creatures side by side. "My beloved Heba, my light half, protected the humans of Egypt while I protected and controlled the Egypt that existed in the Shadow Realm. We existed like this until the balance was disrupted by a flux of darkness."

"I still don't understand," Yugi said, partially wondering if Yami was unable to speak due to Atemu's existence.

"It is their wish for you two to become the ruler of Japan." Atemu laughed at Yugi's expression. "Not in the sense you are thinking. Yugi, as hikari, you would keep the shadows balanced and away from the human world. While Yami, as a yami," Yugi momentarily looked confused at this point. "Will manage the Shadow Realm."

"Hikari and yami…" Horakhty said softly. "Light and dark."

"Order and chaos," Zorc continued. "Combined to protect and serve the nature of this world. Do you understand?"

Yugi glanced at Yami curiously. Seeing understanding and desire shimmering in his eyes, he looked back to Zorc and nodded.

"Then it shall be done," Horakhty and Zorc intoned.

Yugi and Yami both yelped as they were picked up and thrown back through the door they walked through.

 **END FLASHBACK**

"That's when we were thrown back through the spirit door and it shut behind us," Yami said softly. Joey looked shocked. "We…"

"We?" Joey asked before noticing the faraway look on Yami's face. He had seen this on Yugi's face before whenever he spoke to Yami through their mind link.

 _Yami…_

 _You're awake Aibou. How are you feeling?_

 _Tired. These bandages are heavy and the one on my head is covering my eyes._ Yugi sounded frustrated. _The doctors are in here talking about my condition. They keep saying I won't likely be waking up any time soon._ Yami smothered a laugh at the whine in Yugi's voice. _But I am awake. I just can't open my eyes._

 _I'll send Joey in to you._ Yami pulled out of their conversation to look at Joey. "Yugi's upset because the doctors are telling each other he won't wake up any time soon but he is awake." He widened his eyes and quickly asked Yugi. _Can you move?_

 _My fingers._ Yugi replied. _Joey can be psychic for once._ Yami laughed at the hysterics his hikari had gotten himself into.

Yugi paused in his mental laughter as the doctors examined his throat. "I don't think we will hear why he tried to kill himself until he starts writing again." Yugi's body went cold in shock. "His vocal cords are damaged beyond repair."

 _YAMI!_ Yugi sent panic through the link causing Yami to almost fall out of his bed as he reached for some water.

 _What is it, little one?_ He asked attempting to calm him down. _Joey is on his way there._

 _I won't be able to speak anymore…_ Yami could feel him crying in his mind. _They said my vocal cords are damaged._

'I won't hear my hikari's voice again…' Yami thought before responding to Yugi. _I will just have to play translator._ He attempted to lighten the situation with humor. He could tell his hikari wasn't taking this well. _Is Joey there yet?_

Yugi felt someone brush his hand before touching his face. "Yug, I'm here. Yami said you were awake." Yugi moved his fingers, tracing the letters for Joey's name on the bed. "I'm glad. Let me get the doctors so they know you're awake."

 _He is Yami._

 _He needs a ring._ Yugi sent Yami a bundle of confused emotions at this statement. _I told him about us. He thought you had betrayed him by attempting to commit suicide again. I didn't want him to think that so I told him everything about us. Nothing yet about that night since I can't name Bakura or Ryou until he is protected._

 _Oh…_ Yugi waited until the doctors were done re-bandaging his head so he could open his eyes. His vision was hazed with red. _Wait a sec, Yami._

A board was placed under his right hand with the words 'Yes' and 'No'. All he had to do was point at what he wanted to respond with.

"Can you see clearly?" _No_

"Blurred?" _No_

"So a clear image… Wrong colours?" _Yes_

"Streaks?" _No_

"Like a fog then?" _Yes_

"Are you in pain?" _No_

"Good. The last thing we want is you in pain and not be able to ask for relief." The doctor paused and then asked softly. "Do you remember why you tried to kill yourself?" Yugi managed his best confused look at the doctor. "You have straight cuts on both arms stretching from your wrist to the inside of your elbow. They are too neat for accidental cuts." He patted the boy's shoulder. "Perhaps it is best you don't remember what drove you to that extreme." He gave a nod to Joey before leaving the room.

"Yugi…" Joey began to say before watching Yugi shake his right wrist from side to side. A faint rattle grew louder until a golden bracelet appeared. "What the!"

Yugi traced his fingers on the board. It took Joey a while to understand what Yugi was trying to say. _Take a ring._

"What?"

 _Take a ring. You know about Yami and I. This is to protect you against the shadows. They will seek you out now because you have knowledge on us._

Joey pulled one of the rings off the bracelet. "Do I just put it on?"

 _Hold it in your palm. Then throw it up and catch it again before putting it on. Best to do it in the sunlight._

Joey walked over to the window and did what Yugi said, nearly dropping it when the ring grew in size to an armband. He glanced over to Yugi, who nodded, before sliding the ring up his arm until it sat comfortably around his bicep. He returned and sat near Yugi once more. He watched in fascination as the bracelet on Yugi's wrist faded from view once again.

 _No one but those with the knowledge will see the ring. It will become warm if I am in danger. It will guide you to where I am when that happens._

"I'm glad Yami told me," Joey said resting a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "But he didn't tell me how you got those cuts."

 _He couldn't mention another yami by name until you had my ring. Otherwise that yami would be forced to seek you out and kill you._

"As long as you didn't do it to yourself," Joey said fingering the band with curiosity. "I don't want to ever see you do that again."


	4. Chapter 4

Yugi watched as Ryou and Malik paced his hospital room. They were afraid of the possibilities that there was another yami or even a monster so secretive that he couldn't be found by their yami's. The abilities of this _thing_ was amazing considering it took out both Yami and Yugi in the space of a single night.

 _It's not like it killed me._ Yugi said for the fifth time through their hikari link. _Once I'm healed we can try finding it hikari-style._

"Provided it doesn't try to attack you both here," Malik stressed running a hand through his platinum hair. "Both you and Yami can't protect yourselves in this state."

 _I have a knight._ Yugi said before almost recoiling at the glare Ryou gave him. _I know… One isn't enough._

Yugi sighed and flopped back onto his bed. He smiled thinking about when he first realized Ryou and Malik were also hikari.

 **FLASHBACK**

Yugi felt the stone ground when he landed hard. His perception of the people in the room was altered. Looking up, he felt the familiar light presence that he sensed from Horakhty.

Ryou and Malik were bent down offering him a hand up. "Umm… Thanks." he said a little confused.

 _We are hikari as well._ Ryou's voice sounded in his head much like Yami's through their mind link. _Malik now looks after Egypt with Marik and I look after England with Bakura._

 _We have a lot of catching up to do._ Malik added smiling at the increasing confusion on Yugi's face. _Hikari's can talk to each other via a link of light. Just like how yami's can via shadows._

 _Then is the bond between Yami and I still exist?_ Yugi asked a little worried.

 _It remains in place._ Ryou assured him. _We will teach you what we know. But you are also different from us. You are a reincarnation of a previous hikari. There may be things that only you can do._

 _Heba…_ Yugi said and then lifted his head when Malik gasped. _What is it?_

 _Heba?_ Malik blinked and then looked at his sister. "Ishizu, in the scriptures, there was a Heba mentioned, wasn't there?"

"Heba?" Ishizu looked confused as to where that question had come from. "Heba was the Pharaoh's lover. They were always together. But nothing was written other than that." She looked at Yugi carefully before smiling, understanding where the question had come from.

"I think there is something you need to see."

 **END FLASHBACK**

"Yugi…" Malik's face was close enough to kiss if Yugi had cared to try. "We have a serious situation here! You can't zone out like that on us."

 _Heba._ Yugi said softly causing the Egyptian to jump at the name. _I was just thinking. If Yami is the reincarnation of the Pharaoh then I would be the reincarnation of Heba. Interesting, don't you think, that my name is similar to Heba's?_

"We never got a chance to look at what Ishizu wanted to show you," Malik replied moving back to his chair with a smile. Ryou perched himself on the bed curious on the change in topic. "But it is interesting since 'Heba' means game in the old language."

"Just where are you going with this Yugi?" Ryou asked curiously. "You wouldn't of mentioned Heba unless it was connected to this situation in some way."

Yugi nodded and closed his eyes _. I was weakening from maintaining the barrier. Yami wanted to pull me into the puzzle to protect me but I became angry at that decision. I lost myself to a rage that consumed me. Next thing I know, I wake up in a hospital bed and hear that the house and shop were destroyed._

"You think that Heba is within you?" Malik asked curiously. "Reincarnated souls can't be controlled by their past lives."

 _I think something happened in the past to Heba before the situation with Zorc._ Yugi opened his eyes and looked out the window. _I remember being in the memory RPG and there was no sign of Heba. It was all from the eyes of the Pharaoh. Time also took a different turn as Zorc was subdued instead of sealed in the puzzle._

"I think we may need to pay a visit to Horakhty-sama," Ryou said softly. He could sense darkness within Yugi which was growing stronger with every mention of Heba's name. "You've mentioned black outs before whenever you were angry or in pain. I never thought that it might be because of an issue stemming from your past life."

"I still maintain that a past life can't interfere with a present one," Malik stated flatly. "It's just not possible."

 _With humans…_ Yugi said catching Malik's attention. _But I'm a hikari. It might be different when it comes to us._

"Maybe…" Malik replied slowly. "Let me contact Marik and Ishizu. See what they think."

Yami sat on the bed watching Yugi sleep. He could feel something was wrong with his little one ever since Ryou and Malik visited. Part of him wondered if the close proximity to other hikari's had triggered something that the shadow cursed had left behind.

That night was a blur to Yami. He remembered yelling at Yugi to allow him to pull him into the puzzle for safety. Then, Yugi's eyes changed from the usual light purple to a deep, rich purple before the explosion happened. He couldn't understand what that was.

 _Aibou?_ He brushed the golden bangs away from Yugi's eyes. _Are you awake?_

Once again, he was greeted by the rich purple eyes as they fluttered open. _You don't know when to leave well enough alone do you?_

Yami recoiled at the harsh tone that filtered through their link. _I don't understand, aibou. Why are you acting this way?_

 _Aibou…_ Yugi's harsh voice laughed at the word. _Atemu, you have really not changed a bit. Leave me to rest before I blast you out the window!_

Yami was at a loss for words. Yugi had never called him 'Atemu'. It took him a moment before he remembered the strange, disjointed conversation between Yugi, Malik, and Ishizu after they returned through the spirit doorway.

 _You're Heba…_ He watched as a smirk played across Yugi's face. _How is this possible?_

 _You're a bright spark._ Heba hissed back. _I take it I am talking to Yami then instead of Atemu. Interesting. But still, I… Or more like we… Need our rest._ The word was punctuated by a yawn. _Just leave Yami. We don't want to be disturbed._


	5. Chapter 5

It was another few weeks before Yami and Yugi were discharged from hospital. Seto had discovered that his rival's home was destroyed and in a rare moment of kindness, repaired it to the way it looked before with extra rooms underground to make the whole place less cramped.

Yami was frustrated with the whole situation. He had not had a chance to talk to Yugi about his conversation with Heba and the moment they return home, Ryou and Malik take him to see Horakhty leaving him with Marik and Bakura.

"Did you just say Heba?" Bakura asked snapping Yami out of his thoughts. The three yami's had been drinking when Yami murmured the name unexpectedly.

"I did?" Yami asked confused. One look to Marik confirmed that he had. With a sigh, Yami leaned back in his chair. "Heba spoke to me in the hospital while Yugi was asleep. He is… the complete opposite to my hikari."

"Heba has… a lot of unresolved rage from when he was alive," Bakura said carefully. "Yugi is his reborn self and I suppose that rage has filtered over to Yugi."

"Unresolved rage?"

"You have a darkness blocking your voice," Horakhty said softly after assessing Yugi. "I need to remove your core in order to find out where this darkness is coming from." She indicated to Yugi to lay on a small circular mattress that was covered with soft fleece blankets.

 _Remove my core?_ Yugi asked lying down. _Won't that hurt?_

"Not to you," she looked up at Malik and Ryou. "You had better get your yami's to restrain and distract Yami while I do this. He is going to feel a lot of pain."

Yugi's eyes widened and was about to refuse her when she touched his chest, drawing a large orb of light out.

' _Kura!_ Bakura fell off his seat as Ryou's voice burst through his mind. A similar thump told him Marik had heard Malik as well. Yami looked at the two confused. _Keep Yami busy._

 _Why?_

 _Because Horakhty-sama is going to take Yugi's core and it is going to hurt him!_ Yami clutched his chest, eyes widening in shock. _He can't come to Horakhty-sama's domain without her permission!_

 _How do you suppose we keep him busy?_ Bakura yelled as he jumped up at restrained one of Yami's arms as Marik tried restraining the other.

 _I don't know._ Ryou cried. Bakura could sense he was afraid of what he was seeing before him. _Just do what you normally do._

 _I'll try._ Bakura softened his tone. _Will you be ok?_

 _I think so…_

"This is strange," Horakhty mused as she probed Yugi's core. "There is no darkness in here. But he isn't completely here as well. It seems that part of his core is missing."

Ryou watched as Horakhty returned to the bed where Yugi's body laid motionless. His eyes vacant and staring up at the ceiling as she probed his body with her power. Clucking her tongue disapprovingly, she waved her hand over Yugi's eyes.

"Heba…" Horakhty said softly waiting until the light vacant eyes darkened to the rich purple. "You should be merged with Yugi's reincarnated soul. Why are you still separate?"

"I was tainting him," Heba replied sitting up. "My rage was turning him dark. I had to separate from him to protect his light as a hikari…" He paused and then looked at the orb of light which pulsed in an irritated manner. "He's getting angry. But not at me…" He glanced at Ryou and Marik who immediately blushed.

Horakhty stared at the three hikari before focusing her attention solely on Ryou and Malik. "What is going on?"

"Our yami's are distracting Yami…" Malik said carefully. "And Yami is participating…" Horakhty looked annoyed at his evasiveness.

"They are having a threesome," Ryou blurted out before going really red. "I don't know how it evolved into that but I think Yugi is mad at his darkness."

Heba nodded and then smiled. "I think Yugi will be difficult to subdue once you return his orb to his body." He looked at Horakhty with a sneaky smile. "But I do have a suggestion on how to subdue it."

Yami lay panting, his limbs entangled with Bakura's and Marik's. He knew that Yugi would be angry at his tryst with the other yami's but he had lost himself to the lust of the other two. The tearing pain in his chest had died down and the lust had covered up the residual pain nicely.

Rolling over, he got up and pulled on some clothes. He turned to find the other two following suit. They were glad they had chosen that moment to get dressed as they suddenly found themselves sitting with their legs folded under them, their hands behind their backs, and held in place with golden chains.

Yami could see Yugi's body lying on the mattress in front of them and beyond that was the other two hikari and an orb of light that pulsed angrily. Horakhty smiled at them in welcome.


End file.
